Dark Echo
by kelsium42
Summary: Liege Maximo takes over Echo, and makes her evil. Septimus's worst nightmare has finally come true.


Demons. Septimus and Echo part 5. Chapter 1- Here we are again.

I sighed as I rested my head against Septimus's side. We had finally gotten some down time after we had led an army to capture one of Megatronus's strongholds. The city was behind us, its outer wall destroyed, and our soldiers rounding up the last of the enemy warriors.

Septimus and I were resting on a hill just outside the captured stronghold. He was on his back, with one arm on his broad chest, the other was loosely covering me like a metal blanket. I could feel his sides raise as he vented in and out, slowly.

I was nestled against him, were his waist narrowed and curved inward. I was working on our battle report for Prima, enjoying being close to Septimus. I smiled as his sides rumbled with a loud snore.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. He was tired from the battle, I was too, but I needed to finish the report. I was caught by surprise when Sep's hand tightened around me and lifted me up to his chest. His soft green eyes smiled at me from his face, and his usual big grin soon followed.

"Hey, the report can wait. You should get some rest." he smirked.

"I will rest when I'm done," I told him rubbing his chest a little, "I only have the losses left."

"Oops." He snicked as he took the data pad I was using out of my hands, and threw it away.

"Septimus, you tin-head!" I barked, I tried to get off him to go get it, but he held me still.

"Come on, when do we get to chill like this? Stay, rest." He begged, his smile turning into a sad pout.

I sighed again, and settled down. I tucked my arms under my head, and let the sound of Septimus's venting loll me to sleep. The planet's sun gently warming my armor, with its golden tendrils.

As we rested my mind began to wander, soon I was strolling through a long stone tunnel. I couldn't see what was behind me, or what was before me. All I could do was walk down this tunnel toward some unknown end. I realized that Septimus's familiar thundering footsteps were not beside me, I could not feel him through our bond, I was completely alone. A cold headwind blasted me, making it hard to move forward, but I continued, alone. Suddenly I saw a bright light shinning before me, it was illuminating a circular room with a tall obelisk holding what looked like Septimus's sword, but before I could reach it the wind picked up and I was blown down the tunnel into the dark, alone.

I woke with a jump, I felt for Septimus, and was relived to hear my fingers squeak over his warm chest. My jump had caused him to stir, and look down at me. His soft green eyes looked at me questioningly, then when he saw my horrified expression he sat up. He put one hand under me to support me so I didn't fall to his lap.

"Hey are you ok? Echo are you alright?" He asked worried.

"Just a bad dream, I'm ok." I assured him, trying to get him to drop it.

"No, you have had bad dreams before, but none of them have ever gotten you that scared. Tell me about it." He said, his previous childishness put aside.

I sighed, I should have remembered how well he knew me. After almost a century of being together, he should. I rested my head on his chest, and told him of my nightmare.

"The worst part wasn't even the tunnel or the wind. It was being alone, so alone." I shivered again happy to have Septimus there.

"I so sorry, being alone is possibly the worst form of torture imaginable. It destroys even the bravest, and the strongest. It is ok though, I'm here and I will never leave you alone." He promised me.

"I'm not used to you being so deep. It's weird when you do it." I smiled letting his words soak in.

"Yeah well, ruin the moment why don't you?" he pretended to be upset.

A soldier came running up the hill to us, and reported that Liege Maximo had been spotted attempting to leave the city we had just captured. Suddenly Septimus's whole body went rigid, and a angry scowl tore across his face. He jumped to his feet drawing his sword. I scrambled to reach his shoulder before I fell off, I had never seen him react so quick, it got me a little worried.

"Septimus, what's wrong? Who is that? Why are you so angry?" I stuttered while still trying not to fall off, as he marched toward where the soldier had said Maximo was last seen.

"He is another one of my siblings, but it is his fault Solus, Amalgamous, and Onyx were all killed! He is the reason this whole war with my brothers started in the first place!" Septimus barked angrier then I knew he was capable of. I couldn't blame him ether.

"How do you plan to catch him, Sir?" said the soldier, who was still following us.

"I don't." Septimus answered coldly, his sword's blade bursting into flame.

Chapter 2- brothers no more.

I bounced up and down on his shoulder as he stomped after his villainous brother. I eventually had to slide down to his feet, because he was too bouncy for me to stay on. I trotted alongside to keep up with his much longer strides.

We arrived, and I watched as a tall green Mech strode calmly out of a storage building. He had two long horns curving back from his forehead, like a goat's. His eyes were a dark cold black, and they surveyed everything around him, gleaning information from his surroundings. When he saw me and Septimus he smirked, and licked his lips.

"Ah, hello baby brother. It has been awhile since I last saw you, still have that unbridled sense of humor?" his voice was cold and sly, like a giant metal fox.

"Maximo, don't call me your brother. You don't deserve that privilege, I will kill you for what you have done." Septimus barked, genuine hate in his once pleasant voice.

"Septimus," Maximo scolded, "there are ladies present, lower your voice please."

I put my hand on Septimus's leg. I had never seen him hate someone so much, but Maximo had gotten Solus killed, something I knew had left Sep and the others devastated. Septimus had held his sister as she died, he loved her as much as he love me. I understood his hate, and let my love for him fuel my anger at Maximo.

"Yes, ones who will cut out your murderous sliver tongue out! I have been hurt by flattery before, and I will not be fooled by it again." I growled in response.

Septimus shifted his light green eyes down at me, he smiled proudly as a father would his child. I nudged his leg affectionately, and then pulled out both my axes.

"Well my apologizes then. I would love to stay and get to know Septimus's bodyguard, but I have places to be." he transformed into a Cybertronian fighter jet, and shot away from us.

"Echo cut him off!" Septimus shouted as he gave chase.

I used him as a ladder to launch myself onto the roof tops of the city. I was faster then Septimus, and soon I was running on a roof just above Maximo. I leaped from the roof, and berried my ax into the glass of his cockpit. He yelped as his nose tipped down, he was forced to transform before he hit the ground, so I was thrown a short way from him.

I attacked again, but he spun and his foot struck my side. I flew sideways into a wall, and before I could get back up I felt a sharp pain on my neck. Suddenly my thoughts clouded over, and became empty. I lost all semblance of who I was, and what I was I doing.

"That's right you belong to me now." Came Maximo's voice through the fog that clouded my head.

I stood and came to him obediently. Septimus and the soldier who was still following us soon came running up, Sep stopped and watched with confusion as I knelt before Maximo, waiting for his command.

"Echo? What are you doing, get him?!" Septimus said.

"Oh she won't listen to you any more brother. You see she has taken a liking to me now, and will only follow my command." Maximo laughed evilly.

"What did you do to her?!" Septimus roared.

"Wouldn't you like to know. Echo kill them." once he finished I sprang at them.

I jumped to strike Septimus across his face, but the soldier who had been with us pushed him aside. My ax sliced through his neck cables as easily as spider webs. His head rolled on the ground, and his headless body crumpled to the ground. Septimus had fallen over, and now was sliding away from me, his eyes filled with fear.

I advanced, but before I could get close enough to him a medium sized cylinder landed between us. I lost sight of Septimus's pleading eyes through a thick cloud of blinding smoke. I swatted it away, and charged into the mist.

"Sir go! Go now!" came the sound of another soldier's voice through the smoke screen.

I sprang at it and faster then a jungle cat cut the soldier completely in half, just above his hips. I looked for Septimus as the soldier that had saved him fell dead behind me. He was nowhere in sight,but I heard the sound of his engine speeding away further away down the block.

With a growl like an animal, I once again jumped to the roofs. I chased after him relentlessly, like a Tigris chasing her prey. I overtook him in only a few minutes, and threw one of my axes at his tires. He yelped as my blade stuck in his side, but he didn't stop driving. I heard him call for a ground bridge, and doubled in my speed.

I jumped and landed in the back of his pickup truck's trailer. He drifted sharply, and sent me flying out into the dirt. I slid along the ground, and turned to see his taillights vanishing through the blue green portal, of his ground bridge.

I got to my feet and returned to Maximo who had been watching my attack with an expression of both fear, and accomplishment. I stood to attention before him, awaiting his next command patiently.

Septimus transformed with a scream of pain. Echo's ax was lodged in his knee, and his light blue Engergon dripped on the floor. His sat on his butt, and screamed again as his pinched the ax the wanked it out.

He had been bridged onto Micronus's cruiser, and soon his smaller brother was running to him, a full medic team behind him. They immediately started to work on Septimus's leg, while Micronus floated to his brother's side.

Septimus looked at him, his eyes misty, and afraid. "She's gone! He took her form me!" he whaled.

"Septimus slow down what happened? Why is Echo's ax in your knee? Did you make her angry again?" Micronus held his hand up to stop Septimus's rant.

"No! We were going to fight Maximo, but he did something to her. She tried to kill me, Micronus!" Septimus bellowed, not caring how loud his voice was.

"He did what?" Micronus's eyes widened with both pity and fear.

"Echo. He did something to her, and now has her under his control. He told her to kill me." Septimus whimpered.

"You're very fortunate to have gotten away with your only your knee injured. We both know that Echo is more dangerous in his hands than any weapon he could have found in that city. That is why he was there. He was looking for the forge, but I have that." Micronus explained.

"Well he fell short, didn't he?." Said a tall bot, who had just entered the bridging chamber of the ship.

"We just got the report that the whole city you just escaped from has been massacred. Apparently by your Minicon. That is not possible though. Maximo must have found a more dangerous weapon in the city." He reported with a disrespectful tone toward Echo.

"Nothing our brother found in that city could be more dangerous than Echo. I built her General Strikezone. There is no such thing as impossible for her." Micronus corrected him.

"With all do respect, Sir..." The General started but Septimus stopped him.

"Listen to me you arrogant mudflap! If you even think that Echo is not capable of gutting you like a organic fish, then you might as well go throw yourself into a smelter." Septimus hollered as he was lifted onto a stretcher.

"As if." the General mumbled under his breath as Septimus was carried away to the med bay.

Chapter 3- the plan.

Septimus spent the next few days in the med bay being poked and prodded with various tools. He had retrieved Echo's ax, that she had wounded him with and was now propped up on a repair table, cradling the weapon like it was a delicate flower he might crush if was not gentle.

Micronus come in, and sat beside his brother on a very tall stool meant for the medics. He saw the ax, and placed his small hand on top of his brother's huge one.

"The way she looked at me just before the smoke screen. She wasn't her anymore, brother." Septimus said quietly.

"You know that she never meant any of it. She is not in control of herself right now, you said that her eyes turned white. Liege Maximo must have put one of his cognition manipulators on her. She would never attack you like that otherwise." Micronus tried to encourage his younger brother.

"How does that help us though? How the slag are we supposed to get close enough to her to get it off her?" Septimus grumbled holding up the ax to remind his brother that Echo was still armed.

"I think I have a plan. We can free Echo if we take down Maximo. The manipulator only works so long as he is alive. While I don't like having to kill my brother, I will gladly take Echo over him." Micronus proposed.

"Echo won't let us get close enough to him. We both know her, she will be glued to his side like she was to mine. She will wipe us both out before we even have a visual on Maximo." Septimus argued.

"If we make Maximo send her away from him. She won't be able to get back to him before we ambush him, and kill him." the small Prime said, moving his hands to display his plan.

"Maximo is not dumb. He would notice a trap right away, he was always setting them up. He would recognize one. I hate to consider it but... there is one person who hates Maximo and might be able to get past Echo." Septimus bit his lip not wanting to say the name.

"Absolutely not!" Micronus barked.

"We have no other option. Echo is too powerful for us, and you know it. We could keep her occupied while he kills Maximo for us." Septimus snapped back.

"Or he will just kill all of us. Did you forget why we are at war in the first place? Do you want to save Echo or get us all killed?"

"He hates Max more than any of the rest of us. I want my girl back, and I am willing to risk everything to get her back. I am sorry your not."

"Septimus I want her back too, but we can't risk revealing everything to him. I will take a large force and go after Maximo, but we cannot bring him into this."

"She will kill you. She will kill all of you, and I can't help with my leg like this. If you take General brainless, you will most defiantly get killed. Please my spark can only afford to lose one more brother, and I don't want that to be you."

"We will be careful. I know want Echo is capable of, and I think if I freeze her in place, the General can handle Maximo. We will get her back." without waiting for Septimus to argue further, Micronus left for the bridging deck.

Septimus called after him, but Micronus ignored him. Septimus started to panic, if he didn't do something he would lose Echo forever, and she would kill his brother. He checked around him for any of the medics, then after making sure no one was there. he tuned his communication radio to the one person he last expected he would even ask for help again.

Chapter 4- little monsters are the scariest.

I sat cross legged beside the bodies of the soldiers I had snuffed. I felt no kind of regret for what Maximo had made me do, nor did I feel any kind of emotion. My mind and spark were too clouded over for me to feel anything.

Maximo was standing over me, chuckling slyly. He had decided that since he had me he had no need to leave the city. He claimed it for himself, and constructed a shroud throne out the parts of the soldiers I had massacred. He sat on it and called me to come to him. Like an loyal dog I came, and sat beside him.

"Who could have guessed that my foolish little brother had something as powerful as you, and never used you properly." Maximo complemented me waving his hands over the battle field full of my kills.

I said nothing, just stared of into the distance, my eyes a ghostly white. "with you he could have overthrown Prima, and Megatronus. Why with you he could have ruled over the stars. Well you're not his any more you belong to me; I will soon destroy all of my remaining brethren, and then rule supreme."

he laughed loudly, his laugh cold and barren of any true happiness. I didn't move or laugh with him, unable to feel joy to laugh. Suddenly one soldier crawled out of the tangled mess of dead. He was missing his legs, and half of his face. He dragged himself on his elbows, away from Liege Maximo's thrown.

"Bring him to me." Maximo's command woke me from my trance.

I leaped over the piles of bodies, and grabbed the soldier by what was left of his broken legs. He struggled and whimpered as I dragged him back to Maximo.

"Look at her soldier," Maximo snarled pointing to me, "Is she not the most powerful weapon ever?"

The soldier turned his eyes on me, tears streaming down his cheek plates. "Commander Echo, why did you do this to us? We all trusted you, and General Septimus trusted you! Why?" he cried.

"She doesn't belong to Septimus anymore she belongs to me, and she obeys me now." Maximo chuckled.

"She belongs to Septimus, she always will, and you can't change that. History will remember her as Septimus's Minicon, not yours!" The brave soldier shouted.

"And it won't remember you at all. Scrap him." Maximo ordered me.

The soldier closed his eyes accepting his fate. My ax swung, and his head rolled through the dirt. Still I felt nothing.

Chapter 5- I created a demon.

Micronus's ships landed, and at the moment when the doors opened he knew his soldiers were doomed. The bodies of Septimus's battalion lay in great heaps all over the city streets. Maximo had made a throne at the top of building that was in the center of the city. That left a lot of city to go through before they even reached him.

A lot of places that Echo could ambush them from, slay as many as she liked. They would be wiped out before ever seeing Maximo's face.

"Well done my treacherous brother. Well done," Micronus whispered sadly shaking his head, "Septimus was right, we can't win this." He muttered.

"Please, we have an army. A single Minicon can't take on a whole army, we will overwhelm her, kill her, then kill him. Simple." General Strikezone groaned.

"No one is to harm Echo. We are here to rescue her not kill her. I created her General, and I know now the I have created a demon." Micronus snapped gesturing to the dead.

"For Primus's sake she is tiny. My troops can handle this." The general growled and ordered his troops to move out.

"No!" Micronus shouted, but it was already too late.

Just as the soldiers reached the first building a small blue blur zipped through them faster than any human eye could have seen. In less then a minute the entire army of three hundred Autobot warriors fell dead, and a slender female Minicon stood in the midst of them, not a drop of blood on her bark blue armor.

"That's not possible!" The General hollered charging Echo.

"General stop! You fool!" but Micronus's words were wasted.

Echo didn't move as the General approached, screaming a war cry, and raised his war hammer. Instead she waited for him to swing his hammer at her, then moved to the side seconds before it crushed her. Then she climbed his arm, and used him to launch herself into the air above his head. She raised her single ax above her head, with both her hands on the grip.

The General screamed for only seconds, before Echo's blade cut straight through the top of his head. The two halves of the General fell to the ground where they lay twitching. Echo turned to Micronus and marched toward her maker, her white eyes devoid of all emotion.

Micronus raised his hands, as he tried to catch his creation in a field of energy. However Echo stepped aside from his energy, and in the blink of an eye was standing behind him. She kicked him in the back forcing him to floor, Micronus slid around wit a roundhouse kick, knocking Echo's legs out from under her. She hit they floor her ax falling away from her.

Micronus scrambled to his feet, and faced Echo his fists raised. She put her hands behind her head, and jumped forward onto her feet. She held her hand out and her ax flew back to her hand.

"My daughter I do not wish to fight you, I am trying to help you. Don't listen to Maximo please." Micronus pleaded.

Echo said nothing only glared expressionless, and empty. She looked at her ax then at her father's bare hands. She threw it away, and took a fighting stance. She gestured for the small Prime to attack her, but Micronus just shook his head.

"I am not so foolish as to make any move against you. Even if you are unarmed it is hardly a fair fight." Micronus chuckled, jabbing his thumb to the dead soldiers behind him..

"I have orders to bring you to him, so I will not kill you. Now fight me!" Echo barked punching Micronus across the mouth.

He growled and jabbed his fist into her belly, knocking her back from him. She came back with a side kick, which Micronus blocked with his arm. His chest was exposed and Echo took advantage of the opening with a powerful uppercut. Micronus fell backward onto his back, and before he could get back up Echo jumped on him.

"Game over." She hissed before striking Micronus's face, and knocking him out.

"No! I told him this would happen!" Septimus cried out after receiving the news of Micronus's capture.

"At least he has been captured and not killed." The medic that was tending to Septimus's knee said encouragingly.

"Yeah, only so Maximo can take pleasure in watching him die. And where am I? Stuck here in this bed with idiot doctors, who think that just because my brother isn't dead yet, means everything is just dandy!" Septimus bellowed.

The medic looked down sadly. Septimus put his head in his hands, and silently begged all the gods from every religion current and future to please let his brother be alright. He cursed Strikezone's name, and his spark yearned for Echo.

He hated being useless, and unable to help. More importantly he hated that he was losing everything. First Echo, then his soldiers, and now his brother.

"Curse you Liege. I hope our father punishes you in the most painful way he can for this." Septimus swore.

He ordered the medics to leave him again, so they wouldn't see him. Then he began to shamelessly cry for all his lost loved ones.

Chapter 6- Septimus's terrible plan.

Maximo had me bring my father to him in chains. He chuckled coldly as his brother came to, and started to tug on the chains. But escape was not an option.

"Hello my brother." Maximo sneered coldly.

"Maximo release me now!" Micronus barked, angry.

"Now why would I do that. I just wanted to complement you on your creation here," Maximo said patting the top of my head with one finger. "She truly is your masterpiece. More deadly than the Requiem Blaster, and more beautiful than Solus ever was."

"She is not your weapon. Echo! you are your own self, don't listen to him, you are my greatest creation. You can brake free of him!" Micronus's pleas faded into the fog that clouded my mind.

"She is mine now, and she is my greatest weapon. She is unbeatable, unstoppable, relentless, and..." Maximo's words were cut short by a massive ship raising up from below the building they were on.

The ship opened, and a massive black armored Mech jumped onto the roof of the building. His glowing red eyes glared at Maximo with a hate deeper than all of space. His black and purple armor glowed slightly with an evil purple glow, and in both hands he held two massive fusion cannons.

"Septimus you despite mad fool. You actually did it." Micronus muttered to himself.

"Megatronus? How did you know I was..." Maximo stuttered terrified.

"Our little brother really wants his Minicon back." Megatronus growled firing a stasis net on me.

My limbs froze up, and I fell to my side, unable to move. I could see Megatronus advancing on Maximo, and Maximo backing away in fear. Everything in my body wanted to tear off the net, and protect my master, but I could do nothing.

"Without the Minicon to hide behind, you have nowhere left to go." Megatronus chuckled, drawing a large serrated knife from his hip.

"Brother wait! I didn't mean for you to kill our sister, I made a mistake. Please don't!" Maximo begged.

"Your lies end here!" Megatronus roared, stabbing the knife into Maximo's chest.

Maximo gasped as Megatronus slowly twisted the blade, then pulled it back sharply, ripping out his spark chamber. His green spark shined, fluttered, then went out like a candle. Megatronus pushed aside the lifeless husk of Maximo's body, and stomped over to me.

The moment Maximo's light went out I felt the fog in my mind drop. My own thought returned to me, and I was suddenly aware of what had happened. I trembled as Megatronus knelt to one knee, but still towered over me.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Micronus snapped.

"I have no intention of harming this Minicon just yet, brother. Only because I promised my youngest brother that I would not." Megatronus corrected my maker.

"Then want do you want? You killed Maximo, what are you still doing here, murderer?" I hissed from under the net.

"Murderer? I believe you have killed far you than I ever have. My dear. In only two days." he smirked.

"Something I'm not happy about. What do you want? I snarled.

"I wanted to finally meet the Minicon that my troops fear, and my brother loves. I never expected Septimus to ask for my help, you must really matter to him, which is amazing since I thought he cared for nothing." He chuckled.

"Then clearly you don't know him." I growled.

"Your right, since you came along, I don't know him anymore. You have changed him from the apathetic child he once was, into someone I don't think any of my sibling recognize anymore. You have made him better, and I thank you for that." Megatronus said honestly, which surprised me.

"Why are you telling me this? You are evil, and we are enemies. Why are you saying all this to me?" I asked genuinely curious.

"I still care for my little brother. He was always my favorite, and I am grateful that he found you. I do not anticipate the next time we meet, because I know that it will only end with ether my destruction, or the loss of my little brother. Protect him, little one, for he will need you if he is to survive." He answered.

"You have my promise that I will." I promised.

Megatronus smiled, his teeth sharp like a shark's. He stood, and removed the net from me. He returned to his ship, nodding to Micronus, before leaving us. I watched him go, before running over to my father. My ax cut through his chains easily, and he brushed the dust off of his arms.

"Father, I am so sorry for everything." I apologized bowing my head in shame.

"You are not to blame for any of the carnage. The only one responsible for these troops' deaths, lays dead beside you." he assured me nodding to Maximo's corpse.

"Did Septimus seriously call Megatronus for me?" I asked, touched that he would take such a big risk for me.

"Yes, something I am sure Prima will be furious about, but Septimus will just be happy to have you back." My father smiled.

"What Megatronus said. Do you think he was right?" I asked curiously.

There was a long pause before Micronus's answer came. He rubbed his chin, and sighed.

"Yes, he was right. Megatronus maybe evil, but he is no fool. He respects you for all that you do for our brother. All of us agree that you are the best decision that Septimus has ever made in his entire existence." Micronus replied proudly putting a hand on my shoulder.

I closed my eyes soaking in his sweet words. All I wanted now was to throw my arms around my idiot's neck, and hold him forever. I knew now beyond any doubt that he was the great decision I had ever made too, and that I would protect him forever. To the end of eternity.

Chapter 7- Come here you!

The moment my father and I returned to his battleship, Septimus came hobbling over on giant crutches, as fast as he could manage. His face light up when he saw me, and called out to me excitedly. I laughed and ran full sprint toward him, he tried to hold his arms out in preparation for me, but the crutches it was impossible. I jumped into his arms hard, causing him to fall backwards onto his butt.

We both laughed as we hugged each other, overjoyed to have the other back. He poked my nose, and I looked up into his green eyes. He held up my other ax, and handed it back to me with a huge grin.

"This is yours. Please don't throw into my leg again, ok." he said half pleading.

"I love you so much, you big tin-head." I laughed hugging him again.

"I love you more, my Echo." He whispered sincerely, holding me close.

We were so happy to be back together that nether of us noticed the crew of the ship looking at me with a new kind of fear. I couldn't blame them. I had killed a large portion of Prima's army, and defeated my own creator. Which officially made me the most powerful Minicon in history. A title I didn't know that I would carry through history.

All that mattered to me was having Septimus there, nothing else existed other than him. We were where we were supposed to be. Together, always.

The end. 


End file.
